Stone Mocha IPA is not your average ale review

Stone Mocha IPA, the thinking man’s ale

Stone Mocha IPA really, really gets you thinking and drives the palette wild. All the aspects of a great DIPA with huge notes of a chocolaty, coffee filled stout. Somehow it works and somehow it is awesomer than most.

If you love IPA and also love roasted/toasted malt/grains, along side some very roasted chocolate coffee malts/grains this beer will get you pumped in more ways than one. I was taken aback with the first sip and it didn’t end there. Stone Mocha IPA is truly deserving of the often ambiguous title of ‘craft ale/beer’.

LagerDads Score4.5

4.5Look

4.5Smell

4.5Tastse

4.5Body

4.5Overall

4.5F.T.

At the forefront of west coast beers is Stone Brewing and Stone Mocha IPA reminds us all of why Stone is where they are after all these years.

The Review

Poured into a snifter/tulip/wine hybrid glass from a 12 oz bottle

Look – Really nice deep copper with a hint of pure gold, half finger off-white head and some sticky legs/lacing

Smell – Wow, just wow. The hops and malts just drive the senses wild, funky but, straight amazing. You will take delight in deep sappy pine, very nice dank, dark roasted coffee, dark chocolate, very green whilst somehow being so very brown as well (earth), tons of syrupy like sugar, and to top it off, the notes of alcohol are on point and melds so well with everything else. Next you savor baking goods yeast, a nice tropical floral/fruit (sweet), lots of earthy soil, and finally, more sugar.

Taste – A Mexican hot chocolate comes to mind with the first sip. Then comes the pine, huge sugar (brown and white), booze, the roasted/toasted malts/grains (are awesome), sweet island fruits, lots of flowers, chocolate, dark but acidic coffee and a sweet baking Belgian like yeast. Then a bit of a spicy note which, turns sweet again.

Overall (Drinkability) – This is only my second time having this work of art and well, I am stoked on it. I hope it is here to stay. All the components for an awesome ale is here; refreshing, tasty, easy to drink, and completely epic.

How these two iconic flavors marry so well is beyond me, but they sure do. If you are looking for a light mix of the two “styles” you won’t find it here, the flavor is turned up to eleven. Perfect for the Autumn, which has arrived, and Winter, right around the bend.

Final thoughts – It comes in a six-pack that is priced around $13. The ABV is DIPA/Imperial at 9%. With the high ABV it may be worth it to age a bottle or two and see what’s, what.

A note from the Brewer

Clearly, style lines have been crossed. Is it half-IPA, half-stout? Not quite. It’s definitely all IPA, but it’s also the best of both styles, making this love child of a beer simply just a beautiful, pleasure-seeking meld of imperial IPA and mocha indulgence.

How did we come up with this inexplicably delicious creation? Well, that doesn’t really matter. What matters is that it exists and that it’s here for you now, thanks to our deliberate disregard for brewing norms. Some things are not meant to be known, just enjoyed…thoroughly.